Page 22 of The Kiss Keeper
The flight attendant handed him his drink, then refilled both champagne flutes.
Natalie polished off both before he’d even taken one sip of his whiskey.
“I’m not a big drinker,” she said with a hiccup.
He closed his eyes. “You could have fooled me.”
She released an audible breath. “So, why are you going to Maine?”
Here we go. Twenty questions.
He never talked business on a plane. Over the years, he’d gotten many tips, listening in on so-called professionals, clucking loudly about financial troubles or upcoming shifts in the market. Nope, he kept his damn mouth shut.
“A little recreation and some peace and quiet,” he added, hoping she’d take the hint.
She didn’t.
“My grandparents live in Maine. It’s their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They’re having the whole family fly in for it. And my family is pretty big and can be a little overwhelming, like the Kennedys.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Your family’s in politics?”
“No,” she answered with a shake of her head.
“You’re Irish Catholic?”
“Nope,” she said as the flight attendant refilled the glasses.
“So, your family is nothing like the Kennedys,” he challenged.
She downed a glass. “It’s a big family,” she replied as her cheeks grew pink from the champagne.
“Sounds like fun,” he answered dryly.
“Where are you staying?” she pressed.
“I’m not sure. I’m playing it by ear.”
That was the truth. He hadn’t even looked into lodging. His security line capers with Heels over here had deprived him of all rational thought for the past half hour. He was about to connect to the plane’s Wi-Fi and get on that when his seatmate tapped on the television screen embedded in the seat in front of her like a toddler.
“This is some tricky stuff,” she said with a slight slur.
There’s the bubbly kicking in.
“Put on your seatbelt, Heels. They don’t let you watch TV during the safety demo.”
She crossed her legs and gazed at her footwear. “I thought I could be that girl. I thought that’s what he wanted,” she mused, the ache in her voice near palpable.
Fucking Jake number six! He cursed the douche who shared his name. Thanks to him dumping his girlfriend, now he—Jake the seventh—was stuck picking up the pieces.
“Sit back,” he said, then fastened her belt for her as she ran her finger down the spike of her heel.
The flight attendant began the safety demonstration as the plane taxied to the runway, and despite knocking back nearly an entire bottle of champagne, his crazy line lady paid attention.
Probably the teacher in her.
He mentally punched himself. She means nothing. She’s some lady having a shit day. Some lady who looked stunning in a trench, and, despite not being able to run in heels, she wore the hell out of them.
Natalie remained quiet through the safety demo and didn’t say a word as the plane took off and hit its cruising altitude. He almost thought he was in the clear when she turned to him, all shining emerald eyes and a trembling bottom lip.
